PRODUCTS APPRAISED

We identify and appraise all gemstones, jewelry and family silver. Items that do not readily fit a specific category will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. We will need to examine each unique piece to determine whether it is something we can appraise and what type of report is most appropriate to meet your needs.

• Gemstones: Diamonds, colored gemstones, jade, pearls, synthetic gemstones, imitation gemstones, artificially treated gemstones, from the most common to the rarest, unmounted or set in jewelry, whether antique, modern, carved, faceted or polished.
• Metals: All metals used to manufacture jewelry including pure silver, sterling silver, silver-plate, gold, gold-filled, gold-plated, the platinum family, titanium, tungsten, cobalt, rhodium, nobium, iron, brass, bronze, aluminum, and others.
• Jewelry: Modern jewelry worldwide, arts and crafts jewelry, costume jewelry, estate and antique jewelry, carvings and objects of art using gemstones.
• Silver: Sterling, 800 silver, silver-plate, gold leaf flatware and serving pieces manufactured in the United States, Russia and Europe, antique to modern.
• Timepieces: Modern, estate, antique pocket watches, pendant watches, ring watches and wristwatches, worldwide.
• Rough Gemstone Crystals: These may be identified and appraised if there is a flat polished surface available to allow proper gemological tools to be used for testing. If there is no such surface, our colored gemstone lapidaries can easily polish one, and then we may proceed with the identification.

Thorough descriptions of gemstones and jewelry protect the owner because they permit an insurance adjuster and another jeweler years later to determine current replacement value of a severely damaged or missing item. This is important whether the owner wishes to replace with a similar piece, upgrade or cash out. They are especially important if the item is missing. THEY SERVE THE ADDITIONAL PURPOSE of providing a fingerprint-like identity of gemstones and jewelry, so that the client who leaves jewelry to be repaired or modified can be assured by simple examination that they receive back what they left.

Finally, unlike reports provided by the seller, the appraiser’s job is to consider the value of gemstones and jewelry which duplicate as much as possible those in the pieces he is appraising, and available throughout a large geographic market, in order to determine a value that will protect the owner.

Tom Tivol
Tom Tivol Jewels, LLC
Graduate Gemologist, Gemological Institute of America
Certified Gemologist, American Gem Society
Master Appraiser, APPA
Adjunct Lecturer, Gemological Science; the History of Jewelry Metals and Design; Art & Science of Appraising; University of Kansas.
Attorney at Law

• Frequently Asked Questions About Jewelry Appraisals
• Types of Products Appraised
• Insurance Appraisals
• Sales Appraisals
• Appraisals to Divide Jewelry Among Families
• Other Types of Appraisals
• Sample Appraisals